Air brake signal system



juli? D M4@ A L MACAN 2,403,938

AIR BRAKE SIGNAL SYSTEM File-April 17, 1943 z\ 5 I y A www? i? nventor Zecca Patented July 16,k 1946 BRAKE SIGNAL. SYSTEM Albert L. Maca'n, La Grange, Ill.,'.assignorto Gen- ;eral Motors Corporation, Detroit,":-Mich., acorporation of Delaware 4 Claims.

"'The-l present invention `relates to locomotive air f-brakelsystems and more'particularly to indicating "means therefor.

:It'ihas been found that the conventionalv pres- `sure operatedgauges included in air brake sys- Ltemsf are inadequate for properly indicating certainconditions in `the brake pipe of the locomo- 'tivefand'train' brake pipe line yconnected thereto, fespeciallyy onlocomotives provided with large capacity compressors-capable of maintaining nor- 'mal pressure 'in the.- train pipeof long trains of .cars'zornpartialfnormal pressure portions in the Y.trainipipeupon'a reduction` in pressure therein due to leaky or brokenltrainline connections or .upon :s operation of thecondu'ctor.s valve atthe rear end of. the; train.

v.The principal object-.of the present invention is to provide a-simpleairvbrakesignal `system which is :readily installed in conventional air .brakesystems andvwhich responds promptly to normal and .abnormal conditions of air ow to .thelocomotivebrakepipe and train'pipe from .the mainairreservoir and compressor on the locomotive.

Theairbrake .signal system and connections by whichthe aboveobject is accomplished will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description vandaccompanying drawing .illustrating oneform of locomotive air brake signal system which'has been found to satisfactorily 'indicate the conditions occurring in the train' brake pipe of long trains of cars.

Figure 1 of the drawing is a diagrammatic View showing the air brake signal system arid its con- -`nections with a portion of conventional' locomotive air brake system.

Figure 2 of the' drawing is a longitudina1 transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 3 '.'to show certain ofthe details of the pneumatically actuatedsignal. control switch.

Figure 3 is atransverse 'sectional yview taken on line 3--3' of Fig; 2.

Figure 4' is an enlarged view taken on line 4-#4 'of Fig. 2v with'parts broken awayand Figure 5 is an enlargement of a portion of Figure 2 withparts broken awayand insection.

' InFigure l theportion of a conventional air b-rake system for 'a locomotive, shown,' includes only the'means by 'which-air is supplied to or releasedifrom the locomotive brake pipe and train pipe. -The"` locomotive brake pipe'is indicated at LBP and a` portionv of the train pipe TP is shown 'connected'theretof by airhoses in conventional mannen AThe engineers valve EV is connected in conventional manner between a main-reservoir CII pipeMP and the'brake pipeBP to control the pressure therein. "The connectionfbetween'the Aengineers valve and brake pipe 'includes'pipes I ,andi 3 and la pneumatically actuated electrical vsignal control Vswitch/'C for controlling vanfelectrical signal S- locatedI in the locomotive cabgnot shown,adjacent the engineervs valve. The signal "S may be a signalflampgas shown, or any other typeof visual oraudible indicator, asdesired.

'feed valve FV is adjusted in a well known manner to open and close automatically in order to'maintain normal pressure in the brake and train pipes. Movement of the'engineers valve to the service or emergency application positions causes a slower "or faster'release` of thepressure in the brake and .train pipes to obtain a'service or emergency air 'brake application.

.The pneumatically actuated. signalling control .switch C is electrically connected. inseries with al battery Band thesignalS by electrical con.- ductors 5, 'land 9. `.This controlswitch, as best shown in'Figures2,.3,4 andV 5,.comprises a hollow,

.inverted .Teshaped housing-IIprovided with a 7 horizontal air passage I3 of rectangular cross .section and a vertical passage I5 of circular cross section. The pipes- I.a;nd.3 are threaded in openings inthe oppositeends of the airpassage. I3

andan electrical switchfmechani-sm of awell -iknown-.typato bey described, .is mounted in the vvertical passage I5.

The pneumatic actuating means for the switch mechanism comprisesa shaft I'I which is mounted insuitable bearing portions in the housing II for rotationabout' an axis extending transversely across therupperporvtion'of thehorizontal passage I3 immediately adjacent the vertical passage I5, and a, .cam I9 and vane 2l are secured on the. shaft Il. rIihe vane 2l.- is rectangular in. shape and its area is less than the area of the horizontal passage I3 sothat it normally hangs. vertically downward across thehorizontal passage and is therefore moveable angularly fromI this normalposition by air'flowing through this passage' in-either`direc switch plate 35.

tion, thereby to cause rotation of the shaft I1 and cam I9.

Centering means, shown best in Figure 3, are provided to normally retain the vane 2| in the vertical position. as shown, and to oppose movement thereof fromv this position by horizontal or vertical vibrations of the locomotive. The vane is moveable relative to the horizontal air passage I3 in the housing I when air flows therethrough at rates less or greater than the normal rate of charge or discharge of the brake and train pipes. The centering means comprises two opposed helical springs 23 and 25 arranged concentrically with respect to one end portion of the shaft I1 which projects through an opening in one of the shaft bearing portions of the housing. The springs 23 and 25 are connected between the shaft I1 and a, member 21 shown clamped in a counterbore 2i9i in the side of the housing I I by the gasket 3| and a cap member 33 which are removably secured to a side sealing surface of the housing to prevent leakage of air through the shaft opening.

'I'he electrical switch mechanism, as has been previously mentioned, is of a well known type. This mechanism comprises a switch plate 35 of insulating material to which a contact bar 31 and a. flexible contact arm 39 of curved shape arev secured, as best shown in Figures 4 and 5. The contact bar 31 is shown fixed in spaced relation to the lower face of the plate 35. One end of the flexible contact arm 39 is fixed to the under side of the plate and is provided with a curved portion 49 adjacent the fixed end and a contact point 4I secured on the free end. The flexible contact arm is of such shape that the contact point 4I thereon is normally biased upwardly out of contact with a contact point 42 which is secured to the contact bar 31. A two part toggle mechanism 43--45 is operatively connected between the fixed and free end portions of the flexible contact arm. A push rod 41, on which an insulating bushing 48 is secured, is provided for causing upward movement of the toggle mechanism in order to cause ydownward and outward bending movement of the free end of the flexible Contact arm 39 with respect to the xed end, thereby to cause the contact point 4I thereon to move into wiping contact with the Contact point 42 on the contact bar 31. The upper end of the push rod 41 is guided in an opening 49 in the The contact plate 35 is secured to the under side an insulating cover plate I by a pair of binding posts 52 and 53. Asbest shown in Figures 1 and 4, the binding post 52 is connected by a conductor 55 to the fixed end of the flexible contact arm 39 and is also connected by the conductor 1 to one terminal of the signal lamp S. The other binding post 53 is connected by a conductor 51 to the Contact bar 31 and is `also connected by the conductor 9 to one terminal of the battery B, the other terminal of which is connected to the other terminal of the signal lamp.

The above described contact and contact closing mechanism is enclosed in a lower cap member 59 of insulating material which is of annular cross section and is also secured to the under side of the cover plate 5l. The cap member is insertable in the vertical, circular opening I5 of the housing Il and is provided with an external annular sealing surface EI and an axial opening through which the smaller diameter lower end portion of the push rod 41 projects. The upper cover plate 5I is provided with suitable openings through which' cap screws 63 extend, which cap screws are threaded into the upper face of the housing I I to hold the cover plate in sealing contact with this face and to also hold the annular sealing surface EI of the cap member 59 in sealing contact with an internal sealing surface of the vertical housing passage I5. With the cover plate 5i and cap member 53 secured to the housing in the above described manner, n0 leakage of air can occur from the vertical housing opening I5 and the lower end of the push rod 41 is biased downwardly into contact with the cam I9 by action of the flexible contact arm 39 on the toggle mechanism 43-45, which is then biased downwardly into Contact with the upper end of the insulating bushing 43 on the pushI rod.

The cam I9 is formed so that it will move the push rod 41 upwardly and close the contact points lll-42 to cause illumination of the signal lamp S only when the vane 2I is moved counterclockwise by a ilow of air to the brake and train pipes at a predetermined charging rate through the feed valve .FV and engineers valve EV, with the latter in the running position. The predetermined rate is slightly greater than that required to replenish allowable brake and train pipe leakage. When the brake and train pipes are charged to substantially normal pressure the rate of ow through the control switch C is reduced to a value such that the vane 2l will be moved back to its normal position by the spring centering means 23--25 to cause the switch contact points 4I and l2 to be opened, thereby deenergizing the signal S to indicate to the engineer that the train pipe is charged to normal pressure.

Ii the engineers valve is inadvertently moved to the full release position after the train pipe is charged the resulting rate of air flow through the engineers valve and control switch to the brake and train pipes causes reclosure of the switch' contacts and illumination of the signal lamp to indicate overcharging of these pipes.

It will likewise be apparent that with the engineers lValve in the runnnig position, if the pressure is reduced in the train pipe below the normal value due to leaky or broken connection or operation of the conductors valve at the rear end of the train, or upon movement of the engineel-s valve to the service brake application position and then back to the running position the signal light will be illuminated as the feed valve FV will automatically open and allow air to flow through the control valve C to the train pipe under each of the above conditions.

It will be evident that when the engineers valve EV is moved to the service or emergency brake application positions to reduce the pressure in brake and train pipes that the vane 2l will be moved clockwise and cause the cam I9 to be moved out of contact with the push rod 41 and therefore the signal lamp S will not be illuminated under these conditions of air flow to the engineers valve from the brake and train pipes.

The above air brake signal system has been found to operate in the manner described thereby enabling the locomotive engineer to be promptly informed of normal o1' abnormal conditions of the air brake system, so that he may operate the engineers valve to prevent overcharging1 or to stop the complete train before it is parted by excessive leakage in a portion of the train pipe or upon operation of the conductors valve at lthe rear end of the train; or to stop that portion of the train coupled to the locomotive upon parting of the train. i

l claim:

l. An air brake system for a locomotive comprising a source of pressure, a brake pipe, means for controlling the pressure in the brake pipe and flow of pressure to and from the .pipe to cause proper application and release of the brakes, said means being connected between the source of pressure and the brake pipe, a signal located adjacent the controlling means, two way pressure flow responsive signal control means connected between the pressure controlling means and brake pipe, said flow responsive control means being adapted to act in response to iiow in excess of a predetermined rate necessary to compensate for normal leakage of air from the brake pipe, and control connections between said signal and signal control means to cause operation of said signal to indicate improper and dangerous conditions of leakage from the brake pipe and overcharging of said pipe.

2. An air brake system for a locomotive comprising a source of pressure, a brake pipe, means including pressure controlling means for said brake pipe, said controlling means being connected between the pipe and the pressure source and including automatic means for limiting the flow of air pressure to the brake pipe to a predetermined value to compensate for normal leakage and to maintain yproper pressure therein, and manual means for permitting operation of said automatic means and for causing an increased rate of flow of pressure to or from said brake pipe to cause quick application and relief of pressure in said pipe, a signal located adjacent the manual control means, two way flow responsive signal control means connected between the pressure controlling means and the brake pipe and control connections between the signal and signal controlling means to cause operation of the signal only when there is excessive leakage from the brake pipe when the automatic means is operative, and to act also when the manual means is operated to cause quick charging of the brake pipe when the pipe is charged to proper pressure so that the signal operates to indicate overcharging of the brake pipe.

3. An air brake system for a locomotive comprising a source of pressure, a brake pipe, a feed valve and engineers valve connected between the source of pressure and the brake pipe, said feed valve being adapted to act automatically to limit the rate of pressure ow to the brake pipe to compensate for normal leakage and to keep the pipe charged to proper pressure to cause release of the brakes, said engineers valve being movable to a running position to connect the feed valve with the brake pipe, and movable t0 full release position to cause an increase of pressure and rate of charging of the brake pipe and quick release of the brakes, and movable to service and emergency braking positions to relieve the pressure in the brake pipe to cause service and emergency application of the brakes, a Signal located adjacent the engineers valve, air pressure flow responsive signal control means connected between the engineers valve and brake pipe and control connections between the signal ilow responsive means to cause operation of the signal to indicate dangerous conditions of leakage and overcharging in the brake pipe.

4. An air brake system for a railway train comprising a locomotive having a source of pressure, a brake pipe, a feed valve and engineers valve connected between the brake pipe and pressure source, said feed valve acting automatically to limit the rate of pressure flow and pressure in the brake pipe to preselected values to compensate for normal leakage and to keep the brakes released, said engineers valve being movable to a running position for rendering the feed valve operative, and being movable to a release position to cause an increase rate of pressure and pressure llow t0 the brake pipe above the preselected values to cause quick release of the brakes, said engineers valve also being movable to service and emergency brake application positions to cause different rates of pressure reduction in the brake pipe to cause service and emergency brake application, a signal adjacent the engineers valve, two way pressure iow responsive signal control means connected between the engineers valve and brake pipe and control connections between the signal and signal control means to cause operation of the signal to indicate dangerous leakage and overcharging conditions in the brake pipe, and a train pipe connected to the locomotive brake pipe for control of the car brakes by the engineers valve and feed valve.

ALBERT L. MACAN. 

